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So why mention it if you can’t back it up?

The track is in superb condition these days,very little dirt but plenty of racing lines to try by the riders ,very enjoyable.

No you don't quite understand Speedway firstly it is about being entertained and hopefully the new customer coming back the next week.I am old but you are my age probably? ???? you are in cookoo land British speedway cannot afford to many W offinden/ etc riders end of.If we could great we cannot the days of the UK league being the best has long gone but it does not mean our leagues cannot provide entertainment.

Eastbourne laid on subsidised admission for the travelling Leicester fans last night. The Lions are doing likewise today.

Enjoyed the Sheffield match. Heats 13 and 15 spring to mind. Connor Bailey was the star for me last night. Beating Danny King in the 1st match and Ben Barker 3 times in the 2nd match. Enjoying watching this kid progress this year.

Just starting it has been boring now for as long as i care to remember. Anyway he knows nothing about our club on how it's operated which makes his snide comments even more ridiculous. But it is the norm on here now, there are plenty like him on here quick to spout there pi* h whenever the fancy takes them. Perhaps if his club was operated as the best it might still be here today , so for him to criticise about any club is laughable.

The way forward is to run to a budget and keep the costs down apart from Doyle,Iversen,Lambert, Fricke, our top two league's are pretty even.Speedway is about putting on a show and i have seen national league meeting's that are just as exciting as the Premiership.It is a MYTH about the top stars bringing in the crowds it doesn't for me Speedway is about a good night out and all levels can give you that.

It makes a change to go into the playoffs rated 3rd out of the 4 teams. I think the only way we can make the final is to finish top. If we meet Swindon or Wolves in the semi final our season is likely to end there. We can’t compete with Wolves strength at reserve. Both ride like heat leaders around Wimborne Road. They would probably win both legs.

Indeed you and and it was good of you to do so but there was no announcement from Berwick as there should've been IMO as there were several supporters at least thinking about going, you would think it was only common decency to announce Berwick were going there without a full team. Berwick's PR at times needs needs a huge improvement as does their official site.

Well said. Old bob sadly has an axe to grind with certain folk at Eastbourne and his bitter posts are a little sad but so predictable. Sounds like it was a good night of racing which when it comes to it, is all any sensible fan wants to see.

The racing has improved -- As has crowd numbers. Commercial Director has driven the community side and far more youngsters being taken to Arlington. Like the Daily Express , Speedways fanbase as a demographic is dying - so need to bring in younger fans Eagles are trying to do so. Most meetings have over 1000+ which is a start and seems as though with sponsors doing enough to return in 2020 .

Get over yourself, starting to get tiresome.

Great stuff, Bydgoszcz!

When we win at Poole tomorrow,,, that will throw the budgie amongst the dogs

I would never write Poole off.. Anything can happen yet, and probably will

We are simply debating opinions here but in mine I think if we splashed out on more top stars (especially when you consider their wage demands), you would get tracks closing at an even faster rate than now, it just wouldn't work, you either go with what you can afford or you go out of business, same on the high street where only the cheapo stores selling downmarket rubbish survive. Cardiff does well but it's a one off that has become a tradition for many but it isn't a patch on Belle Vue but even the international meetings there don't do brilliantly. Imagine Zmarzlik at Belle Vue (or any other track), you'd need an extra two to three thousand more just to pay his wages, you wouldn't get them, then look at the state of most stadiums and tracks, the majority need bulldozing and replacing.

I cant believe that Poole speedway has now come to the point where they would rather rake in money once then have a chance of doing it twice..... Poole pick Swindon in the semi finals....and lose........one home meeting with a bumper crowd Poole do what they should do and pick Ipswich............one home meeting and unless they choke then they will have a final home leg as well Are Poole fans that fickle that if they beat Ipswich that if its Wolves in the final that they wont go? Surely a bumper crowd in the final doesnt matter who the opposition is? If whoever finishes top doesnt pick Ipswich then the sport has died as a competition and sadly is only about making money Poole have won twice at Ipswich..Swindon won easily at ours once and battered us at their place..............why would either not pick Ipswich!

Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius.

I can't see us winning even if Wells and THJ both replaced by guests, might be closer but Wolves have by miles the best reserves and both going frighteningly well at the moment and that is why they will win the title. That is why we need to come top.

As should any foreigner wanting to ride over here. If they are good enough to ride in another country the minimum should never be less than 4.

If they overturn the deficit then they deserve to be given the whole cup!

Which is Crazy! Look at the top british riders in speedway gb squad at the moment they all came from a nl team! Woffinden scunthorpe bewley belle vue lambert kings lynn cook Buxton Ellis IOW

Neither of them ride for a team owned by the chaiirman of the BSPA though, do they? That's the difference.

justice in speedway . depends on who you know, and more importantly who you are riding for at the time of any incident .

In general cubs/colts teams have virtually zero travelling support. From my frequent attendance at various NL tracks I would certainly place Kent as providing the largest (and friendliest) visiting contingent of away fans.

well here we go again for one last time as the potters take on the cubs in the last ever meeting at loomer road. as per usual both teams have riders missing which is a shame but hey ho lets just enjoy it and hope it is a good and fitting match to end on. I am sure it will be a very emotional and sad evening. to hear dave tattum on local radio in the week was very hard to listen to and no matter what axe to grind with him anyone may have had in the past surely we can turn out in numbers and just enjoy some good racing on a very good track and do the promotion proud. for me this is probably the end of my time watching speedway as after reading about the sharp practice and manipulation going on at poole last night the premier league is not for me thank you very much. the win at all cost attitude of some promoters is doing the sport no favours and will drive good honest supporters away from the sport as it all leaves a bitter taste for some fans. anyway that is enough drivel from me so come on the potters lets go out with heads held high and good luck to all the riders on both sides but just a tad more luck for the potters please.

Would love to visit tracks in the premier league done all championship tracks bar Eastbourne, who knows if they go for one big league could be visiting you all soon!

Cardiff is a unique event, if the league had to re-structure and teams had to lessen their averages, it might make a slight difference. Anyway It looks to be heading that way whatever changes are made. Land is too valuable, tracks are too inaccessible and people have different leisure priorities. I can see the day when about a dozen tracks hold meetings clustered around weekends and Bank Holidays, using riders who work in other jobs through the week. I don't think the sport will stop but I think it'll change greatly.

if Eastbourne have any sense at all kennett wont be in the plans for 2020

If he'd mentioned specifics like you have done, then perhaps it would have been read in a different way. "the Eastbourne team have faded badly on their little home track" doesn't even make sense when 3 of them weren't even riding last night. It was a bitter post and rightfully criticised , from someone with a helluva chip on his shoulder by the sounds of it.

Rybnik are in the 2020 Extraleague !!!!! We now know that Ostrow will meet Gorzow in the Promotion/relegation match on 29th September and October 6th. At the moment we don`t know who is home on which date- should know by tomorrow at the latest.

To be honest Iris, I thought it was a decent meeting, maybe as I was there watching it live, always ads more excitement!

I never said anything the money side that is another debate ..but just to say that the standard of rider does not effect the crowd borders on madness ..only a speedway fan could come up with logic like that

Bewley on fire !!

Who is 'throwing in the towel' exactly? Just for your info, at the time NBJ was replaced he was ill - doubled up in stomach pain in the pits in actual fact - and after an initial check in hospital thought he would have to have an operation! However when he flew back to Denmark his specialist there said it wasn't needed and he just needed rest. By this time Wells had become available, BV had signed Aarnio who promptly got injured and NBJ was declared fit to ride again - but not for too long as we all know. Not quite sure what other rider options were realistically available to replace either NBJ or Worrall on their respective averages, but if you wanna carry on stirring your particular type of $#!t then be happy with your opinions. BTW Poole may have been favourites at various times of this season (because we are always there or thereabouts) but current form clearly makes Poole the 3rd favourites behind Robins and Wolves.

I sincerely hope Poole don't get to the final

But all riders have gone through qualifiers haven’t they ? So go there by right. The argument with the senior GPs is “we want to see the best in the world racing”, but there seems to be an unwritten rule only so many from one country can be represented. So, when the under 21’s work differently, seem to allow as many from a country as qualify, the call from some is to stifle that. Particularly with the younger ones, I think there has to be a free reign, if you good enough and qualify then you can ride in it.

Superb post. We have made the play offs ,the last, 4 years running and with 3 cup finals to boot. The current promotion have had to pay off huge debt, yet we have Fricke, Bewley and Lidsey all Aces assetts with a huge future. Yes I'm as disappointed as most to miss out this year but as you say someone has too.

Forum Fannies to These guys when it suits.They wonder why fans are deserting the sport.

I guess Fraud rubs off on some Poole fans.

Surely tons of Ipswich fans will travel??

Personal insults are not really necessary are they. Just because what I said was accurate and factual is nothing to do with being better than anybody. Just correct on this occasion. Take it like an adult and if nothing else apologise for the insult.

The attraction is that it helps to maintain interest in the sport. I cannot understand why people think it is a bad thing to have speedway on tv. I remember the 1990s, when there was no speedway on, and it helped towards the decline. I think a major contribution towards falling crowds has been the points limit - even more so now it is lower. I remember Oxford in the 80s. Succesful team. Big crowds. Eventually the points limit got them. Crowds visibly dropped instsntly. It's then hard to get those lost supporters back. So, another team takes over from Oxford. They then finish top, get nobbled by the points limit. The crowds drop. Then another team. Then another team. And so on, until, eventually, Swindon get to win the league. Then they get get nobbled by points limit too. Vicious circle. The only other time I've seen an instant, visible drop in crowds was when the double points replaced tatical subs. Did those people return when the tac subs came back? Not many, I'll bet. Anyone who thinks wesker sides is the key to the future, by the way, is clearly nuts.

Well, I can only speak as a Swindon fan. This season has been the best racing for several years at Blunsdon. I’ve seen more passing in one meeting than in several years, which suggests that it is the type of track, which needs to be considered. I would say the best tracks for speedway, I’ve seen anyway, are all similar Peterborough, NSS, Somerset and this year Swindon. I’ve not been to Norfolk or PL tracks so can’t include them but those tracks mentioned certainly show good close racing with multiple lines to ride. I wasn’t aware there was a 5 year tv deal in the offing until I read flagrag’s comments. That is welcome news given the general pessimism surrounding the sport and shows to me that the sport itself is still well regarded, certainly within tv, otherwise, why commit on a long term basis. Go back to the 2 youngsters at reserve. 23 and under with GB only or certain qualifying criteria for non UK, team that wins league teams use their average, have a week of speedway some time in Summer holiday where its £5 entry across the board with supporters to be registered to local club to be eligible at the start of the season (or agreed cut off) but pay normal price to own club’s fixtures. Reciprocal agreements for matches between clubs e.g £30 entry, programme and travel. The deal I just had with the match at BV for the cup final was superb value. There is no way I would have gone without the deal and BV received an additional coach load of fans they wouldn’t have ordinarily seen. There really needs to be more collaboration between clubs and leagues for speedway to grow. The sport is struggling because there is too much self interest, at all levels, with promoters only concerned for their own club and not the sport as a whole. Promoters have to go out and sell the sport and your target audience are the children, pure and simple. It’s them that have to be engaged, not me. There is a whole generation that either don’t know about speedway, or have never been introduced. That needs to change. If it’s BT that is looking at the 5 year deal then there should be a caveat about going to schools or marketing the sport locally. Lee Kilby has undertaken lots of initiatives at Swindon and responds to fans quickly via social media, gets things sorted and clarified but he is a lone wolf (there may be others but they are the exception rather than the rule) and that enthusiasm needs to be seen across the sport. I’ve enjoyed the racing again at Swindon, it’s the reason we all go and should be the primary consideration of all clubs. The rest, including marketing, sponsorship and new supporters will be easier with decent racing and we can hopefully look forward to a future for the sport.

one I believe I do see the problem until speedway is run by a independent body it will never change .

Is it what has driven the majority of people away though? If it was purely down to racing then Belle Vue, Scunny etc would be packed to the rafters. I’d suggest there are several factors ie admission cost, rule bending, poor atmosphere, poor facilities, poor marketing etc.

YOU may be the only one on here, although I doubt it, but Nigel is very highly rated at BT, Sky, BSI, Talksport, etc. Natalie does a good job because she knows her subject. During my time at the SGPs the likes of Charlie Webster and now Kiri didn't have a clue. But why does it have to be a female, and I am certainly not being sexist. Chris Louis and Brando are far better because they can talk the lingo to the riders.

Everyone entitled to an opinion I suppose but I think your comments are very harsh. Natalie was writing programme notes for the Aces when she was still at school! Probably knows more about the sport from the inside than most posters on this site. Dave Goddard (Swedish match commentary) does a sterling job, especially when you consider he is commentating from a studio in Dublin!

As somebody who watched the sport during its healthy times, and keeping track with what it has become, I'd be grateful for any coverage right now. Fans often lambasted SKY for its coverage, or because they didn't screen a certain match, or its commentators... When SKY decided to ditch us, the same supporters called them "rubbish" anyway, and BT was the best. But because BT air occasional live matches, they're the villains. Speedway 2019 should be thankful for the amount of live action that hits the screens. It is still laughable that hardcore supporters feel it deserves better.

The SKY coverage during the first 10 years at least should have put speedway on a sound footing. Had real business people been running the sport, no doubt it would have done. For two-to-three years from 1999 there were real signs speedway was on the up. Crowds seemed to be improving and SKY really did recognise viewing figures were good for its network of channels. We had our faces painted and kids were let in for a quid on the evening SKY rolled up for a live broadcast. There did seem to be a hint of proper promoting by those who had lazily worn the tag for yonks beforehand. But it didn't really last. It drifted into being taken for granted, speedway being on TV every week, and sometimes twice. I felt the sport - promoters and fans - thought SKY and the influx of cash would always be there. We even began having long faces when certain matches weren't on SKY, despite all they had done for us. Fans began getting picky when commentators were pronouncing riders' names wrong, or if certain teams featured more than theirs. That afternoon SKY had its cameras set up for the Riders' Championship at Coventry, when the promoter was scrambling on the floor looking for the dummy he'd just spat out, that was the final nail for SKY. They had so many rained-off meetings towards the end, I believe they decided to cut their loses. They were a professional broadcasting company working within an amateur sport. They couldn't drag it up to their level. For example, how many times did live matches overrun? BT have only half-heartedly accepted it, but we should be thankful for small mercies and not start bickering of who's doing a bad job and who you'd like to see on the panel. I often look at some of the dross SKY are covering during the summer months and cannot believe how the sport messed up its opportunity and is no longer featured. As a fan, I don't really know the ins and outs. But I do recall the amount of money SKY used to shell out setting up all the gear, and then the match was washed out. They aren't a charity and won't put up with it. BT also. I look at speedway, 20 years after SKY could have saved it, and see a dangerous shortage of riders with clubs having to share them, like the last cigarette being passed around by kids behind the bike sheds. I see clubs going weeks without a match in the height of summer, which will surely mean some fans will simply get out of the habit and get used to the cash in their pockets. Meanwhile, fans are expected to tune in to the GPs and see many of the riders (or their type) who put two fingers up at Britain and merely used it like a Tom Cat when the female was in season. Fans are expected to turn up trackside and support riders in their team who aren't even their riders. It's like visiting someone in hospital you don't know and wishing them to get better. It's not someone you know and love. In fact, you ask yourself why bother turning up at the bedside every week to wish someone you don't know get better. Looking at British speedway right now, I see remnants of what might have been, ghosts of live matches on SKY and all the missed opportunities. That could have been the sport's saviour. It should have. But look at it now. How many lives does it have remaining for British speedway to mess up?